Italy - Ricotta Pie
Still life of pie with my herb plants
Ok I only typed "ricotta" in the title so you could find it easily, but from now on I will refer to it as "rigot" as is traditional.
S and I are currently obsessed with the Sopranos. In particular, their abundant and gratuitous use of the word "cappacola" -i.e. GABAGOOL! I found the scene - where Carmella Soprano goes in to some sort of lawyer that is a Georgetown alum, gives her a rigot pie with pineapples, and tells her, with that mafiosa look in her eye, that she wants the woman to write a letter of recommendation to Georgetown for Meadow Soprano - a bit hyperbolized. But still, I wanted to taste the power of rigot pie to make this little move even feasible (later, Carmella says "She will write that letter for me! I brought her a rigot pie and was nice when I asked her.) Lets face it -Carmella brings a rigot pie with her wherever she goes. (Is she a modern housewife?) So I got a hankering to taste this pie I've never tasted! (For shame).
To my delight, a google search of rigot (of course, I spelled it ricotta that time) pie brought up Carmella Soprano's supposed recipe. Here it is http://recipecircus.com/recipes/SFOorPSP/DESSERTS/SOPRANO39S_RICOTTA_PIE.html(ingredients and directions recopied below). I made one for S's work's potluck and it was grand. I (insert sheepish-looking blushing emoticon here) ate a whole half (it was brunch!) to myself the morning I made it.
Ingredients
1 Tbsp Unsalted Butter (soft)
1/4 cup fine graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp cornstarch
One 15oz container ricotta
2 large eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 Tsp grated lemon zest
1 tsp vanilla extract
TOPPING
One 20oz can crushed pineapple in syrup
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp cornstarch
2 Tsp fresh lemon juice
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350
Spread the butter over the botom and sides of a 9inch pie pan or springform pan. Slightly more on the sides and less on the bottom.
Add the crumbs - turn the pan to coat the bottom and sides evenly.
In a large bowl stir together the cornstarch and sugar.
Add the ricotta, eggs, cream, lemon zest and vanilla.
Beat until smooth.
Pour into the graham cracker prepared pan.
Bake for 50 mintues or until the pie is set around the edges but the center is still slighly soft.
Cool to room temp on a wire rack.
TOPPING
Drain the pineapple well and reserve 1/2 cup of the syrup.
In a medium sacucepan stri together the sugar and cornstarch.
Stir in the 1/2 cup pineapple syrup and the lemon juice.
Cook stirring until thickened - about 1 minute.
Add the pineapple and stir in.
Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly
Spread the pineapple mixture on top of the pie.
Allow to chill in the frige for at least one hour or more.
Here's my first slice that morning.
Making the pineapple topping.
Two pies ready to go!
Mixing the rigot.
A mosaic of stuff that goes into the rigot.